Some Days There's Nothing Left To Learn
by elenwyn
Summary: The aftermath of the showdown, and Claire's hero needs support as their world shifts underneath them. Spoiler/spec for the finale. Platonic Peter/Claire


**A.N: **A little something I wrote because of certain promo pictures that have been released for next week's finale. **Spoiler speculation for the end of Volume four - heavy spoiler speculation, so please don't read on if you don't want to know things.**

Canon, platonic Peter/Claire, written to the Eurythimics, _"I Saved The World Today"_. Enjoy!

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"Peter?"

Her words are soft but panicked – the room looks like a bomb has been let off inside – and maybe it has. There's a constant mantra running through her head of '_Find him, find him, find him,"_ prayers to a God she's not sure exists anymore for his safe return.

She wants to know what happened here, wants to know a lot of things, most of them to do with Sylar and Nathan and whatever terrible vision Angela said she had. But first, she needs to find her hero. Claire's calmer when he's around, she feels safe, like nothing can reach her – even Sylar.

Coughs come from the floor to her right, and Peter's trapped underneath a piece of furniture, bleeding and covered in dust. Claire immediately runs to him, helps dislodge the table above, goes to pull out a piece of wood that's gotten embedded in his arm, but he pushes her away.

"Peter –"

"No. I can't...heal, Claire."

"Then take my power!" She moves to grasp his arm as he tries to stand up, and she realises he's limping, but Peter's careful to see that their skin doesn't touch.

"I need…Nathan…" he manages to mutter, uneven on his feet and holding onto an overturned chair for support and Claire's blood runs cold.

"Where is he?" And then, the more important question, "What happened here?"

More coughing is her only answer as Peter takes slow, staggering steps to where a French window used to be. It was there half an hour ago, Claire remembers, but she also remembers Sylar's hands brushing her cheek and a grim, sinister promise, so she shakes it from her thoughts.

"Peter," she asks again, "Please….what happened?"

He turns to look at her, expression lost and vacant, like he can't quite comprehend the words formulating in his mouth.

"Gone…Sylar. Nathan said it was the only way."

Claire wills her emotions down and takes a shaky breath, preparing herself for the answer, "Sylar killed him."

It isn't really a question, but Claire still wants an answer. Nathan, selfish, egoistical Nathan, the father that had wanted nothing to do with her. The man with the biggest heart she's ever seen even though he tries to keep it hidden.

"I don't know," is Peter's only answer, as he stares out of the window, "They both just…went."

"We need to find him, we need to get help," Filled with resolution Claire steps forward and touches Peter's hand briefly, not enough for her power to transfer, but enough to make him register her presence fully.

"Claire…" he breathes, as though things have just clicked into place in his mind.

"He's alive," Claire assures him with a small, grim smile, although she's not sure of that answer herself. She needs to keep Peter with her, knows that the death of his brother will affect him a lot more than he'd be willing to admit these days.

She doesn't like seeing this version of her hero, has always seen him either strong and in control, or dark and brooding. This lost and lonely man looks younger, and she imagines this must be somewhat what the Peter that grew up under his brother's shadow must have been. Claire looks at Peter now and can almost imagine the young boy seeking his older brother's approval, trusting him without question.

Over the years that trust has waned, but, even when Claire hadn't believed in Nathan, he was the one who saved Peter from the events of Kirby Plaza, he'd been the one to turn Peter away from the path of destruction Adam Monroe was leading him to…and Claire suspects Nathan has done it again; saved Peter from Sylar by offering his own life instead.

Bringing herself back to the present, she finds Peter at her side, a determined expression on his face.

"Let's go," He says, and Claire can't help but smile just a little at the semi-return of her hero, though bloodied and worn-out, still ready to fight for his family.

She grips his arm and they take off into the air, unwavering in their plan to bring the family back together.

Claire has her hero already, but now she needs him to find his.


End file.
